News / Regional
Cable thief fried to death by 66 000 volt power line
20 Aug 2014 at 22:42hrs | Views
A suspected copper cable thief was electrocuted by a 66 000 volt power cable in Bulawayo this morning.
The man's body was fried into a brittle state by the high voltage line that supplies the whole of Bulawayo with electricity.
A shell shocked crowd gathered to watch as police struggled to get the dried up body into a coffin.
Witnesses told Bulawayo24 News the body would crumble into dust when the officers touched it.
"The body was black, brittle and horribly blackened. Police had to be extremely careful as it had become delicate and would disintegrate into powder. I'm told the voltage was too much and the man could have died instantly without even realising it," said one of the people who saw the body being taken away.
The witness said the man's friends are suspected to have run away when they realised their friend was dead.
Residents from surrounding suburbs said it was the second time this year that someone had been electrocuted near the area.
They said they suspected ZESA technicians were responsible for cable theft.
"You have to be extremely reckless or just plain mad to attempt to steal these power lines which are always humming and crackling with electricity. Only an insane person or someone with knowledge about electricity would try to steal them. Hence our suspicion that someone from Zesa is involved."
"Someone was also killed near here in February but these thieves never seem to learn. They seem to target times when there is load shedding to cut and steal the cables."
Acting Bulawayo police spokesperson assistant Inspector Abednico Ncube could not be reached for comment.
However, the incident was confirmed by ZESA spokesperson for the southern region Lovemore Chinaka, who declined to give details.
The man's body was fried into a brittle state by the high voltage line that supplies the whole of Bulawayo with electricity.
A shell shocked crowd gathered to watch as police struggled to get the dried up body into a coffin.
Witnesses told Bulawayo24 News the body would crumble into dust when the officers touched it.
"The body was black, brittle and horribly blackened. Police had to be extremely careful as it had become delicate and would disintegrate into powder. I'm told the voltage was too much and the man could have died instantly without even realising it," said one of the people who saw the body being taken away.
Residents from surrounding suburbs said it was the second time this year that someone had been electrocuted near the area.
They said they suspected ZESA technicians were responsible for cable theft.
"You have to be extremely reckless or just plain mad to attempt to steal these power lines which are always humming and crackling with electricity. Only an insane person or someone with knowledge about electricity would try to steal them. Hence our suspicion that someone from Zesa is involved."
"Someone was also killed near here in February but these thieves never seem to learn. They seem to target times when there is load shedding to cut and steal the cables."
Acting Bulawayo police spokesperson assistant Inspector Abednico Ncube could not be reached for comment.
However, the incident was confirmed by ZESA spokesperson for the southern region Lovemore Chinaka, who declined to give details.
Source - Byo24News
